The Ilocos Times

Nearly one in four Filipino adolescents falls behind in school by age 18, according to findings from one of the country’s most extensive studies tracking child and adolescent development.  Researchers behind the Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child (LCSFC) found that disadvantages experienced early in life—including poor nutrition, poverty, mental health challenges , and exposure to work—continue to shape educational outcomes and future opportunities years later. Among the cohort studied, 30.6% were already stunted at age 10, while 15.8% had experienced work. Over the following years, school progression steadily declined, with the proportion of adolescents remaining academically on track dropping from 90% at age 10 to 82% at age 15, and further to about 75% by age 18. Dr. Judith Borja , lead investigator of the study and former director of the University of San Carlos–Office of Population Studies Foundation (USC-OPS Foundation), said childhood experiences contin...

ALS GRADUATES. Some of the 464 learners graduate from the Alternative Learning System (ALS) in Dingras, Ilocos Norte on July 30, 2026. This is part of the province's efforts to provide second-chance education for out-of-school youth and adults . (Livestream screengrab) By Leilanie Adriano DINGRAS, Ilocos Norte —A total of 464 learners graduated from the Alternative Learning System (ALS) in Ilocos Norte on Thursday, marking another milestone in the province's efforts to provide second-chance education for out-of-school youth and adults. The graduates completed either the elementary or secondary level through the Department of Education's ALS program , which offers flexible learning opportunities for individuals who were unable to finish formal basic education due to financial constraints, work, family responsibilities or other circumstances. During the graduation rites hosted by the municipal government of Dingras, Ilocos Norte, Schools Division Superintendent Donato...

ADVANCING SKILLS-TO-ENTERPRISE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FILIPINOS. [First row] LANDBANK President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz (center-right) and TESDA Secretary Kiko B. Benitez (center-left) formalize a partnership aimed at helping skilled Filipinos transform their training into sustainable livelihoods and viable enterprises. The signing of the Memorandum of Agreement was witnessed by TESDA Deputy Directors General Atty. Allan Chester B. Nadate (2nd from left) and Nelly Nita N. Dillera (3rd from left), TESDA Assistant Executive Director Redilyn C. Agub (leftmost); and LANDBANK First Vice President Eden B. Japitana (3rd from right), Assistant Vice President Ronaldo R. Averion (2nd from right), and Department Manager Crisso B. Pernito (rightmost). LANDBANK and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) have partnered to help skilled Filipinos transform technical competencies into sustainable livelihoods and viable enterprises through integrated training, financial educa...

  T he Philippine-American Educational Foundation (PAEF) convened the "Nuclear Workforce Educational Forum: A US-PH Exchange of Ideas" on June 11 at the University of Makati. The event is part of the Freedom 250 Lecture Series commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 80th anniversary of the Fulbright Program . Attended by representatives of the energy sector from Philippine higher education institutions, policymakers, and industry leaders such as AboitizPower and Meralco , the forum aimed to increase awareness and strengthen understanding of nuclear education and operations in support of workforce readiness for the country's emerging nuclear sector. In his opening remarks, PAEF Executive Director Julio Amador III emphasized the importance of nuclear energy to the Philippines and highlighted how the United States' decades of experience in developing a safe and regulated nuclear workforce can provide valuable lessons for the country's ...

  Laoag Mayor James Bryan Alcid meets with barangays tanods and barangay officials headed by Laoag ABC President Rbee Ablan, Schools Division Superintendent Joan Corpuz, chief of police Lt. Col. Ryan Retotar and CDRRM officer Dr. Melvin Manuel for a stricter implementation of peace and order both in public and private schools in the city to avoid crimes and other illegal activities that might occur. ( Photo by Mr. Larry Pedralvez) By Dominic B. dela Cruz,  Staff reporter Laoag City —To ensure public safety and protect residents from crime, the city government of Laoag has asked Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police, to deploy 106 additional police personnel to meet the ideal 1:500 police-to-population ratio and bolster security across 80 barangays and 64 schools. Laoag Vice Mayor Rey Carlos Fariñas said Laoag covers 12,747.35 hectares and comprises 80 barangays, 40 public schools and 24 private schools, all of which require ade...

  Bureau of Learning Resources (BLR)Director IV Atty. Suzette T. Ganaban-Medina leads the inauguration and blessing of the newly established Schools’ Division of Library Hub with Laoag Vice Mayor Rey Carlos Fariñas , several members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod and DepEd staff. More than just a book-filled building, the Library Hub shows SDOLC ’s dedication in giving learners and teachers better access to a wide-array of learning resources. It's meant to be a facility for reading, research, and life-long learning serving both present and future generations of learners. The blessing and inauguration ceremony marks the culmination of efforts from various partners and stakeholders who shared a common vision of creating a learning environment where curiosity can flourish and opportunities for growth are within reach thru the leadership of Laoag Mayor James Bryan Q. Alcid, by providing the parcel of land through usufruct agreement. (Photos by Larry Pedralvez )

Violence experienced at home and exclusion encountered in school can have lasting consequences on Filipino adolescents’ education, well-being, and future opportunities, according to studies presented during the second session of the forum “Ugnayan: The Journey of Filipino Adolescents Across Past, Present, and Future”. Organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), with support from the Australian Government, the session examined how childhood and adolescent experiences shape long-term development outcomes. Drawing from the Longitudinal Cohort Study of the Filipino Child (LCSFC), PIDS researchers found that children exposed to parental violence were significantly less likely to stay in school, while adolescents with diverse sexual orientations faced higher risks of domestic violence and bullying. The LCSFC, which follows about 5,000 Filipino children from age 10 in 2016 until they reach young adulthood in 2030,...

All ideas in this column come from Dr. Clarita Carlos. I am merely echoing them because I fully agree with her. After I wrote about the job mismatch problem, my former professor at UP—Dr. Clarita R. Carlos—sent me what I can only describe as a clinical, no-nonsense diagnosis of our education crisis. As always, she went straight to the point: skills mismatch is only a symptom. The disease lies much deeper. And because I believe her analysis deserves wider public attention, I am putting her commentary front and center here. This column is merely my humble attempt to amplify her voice.     A system gone awry Professor Carlos begins with a stinging indictment: The mismatch problem is the result of an entire educational system gone awry—from preschool to postgraduate and onward. In her words, we have allowed an entire lifetime of learning to rest on a shaky foundation. Our reforms have been piecemeal — “a patchwork of this and that” — with no real philosophy of le...

Laoag City —In a significant boost to education support in the province, a total of 1,028 senior high school and college students aged 18 years old and above, all non-recipients of any government scholarship program, each received PHP5,000 in educational assistance to support their continued pursuit of education and help meet school-related expenses. Through a funding request initiated by the Office of the Governor with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the assistance was provided to qualified students in the province, underscoring the government’s continued effort to support learners who are not covered by existing scholarship programs but are actively pursuing their studies. Ilocos Norte Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos urged the beneficiaries to use the assistance responsibly and prioritize their studies, stressing the value of discipline and perseverance in pursuing their academic goals. For many beneficiaries, the aid provides timely relief for daily ...

A recent study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) found that students under the MATATAG Curriculum performed better on assessments after a year of implementation, while teachers in participating schools reported stronger collaboration that may help improve classroom practices over time. The study, “Teaching through Transition: What Influences Teachers’ Practices amidst Curriculum Reform?”, evaluated the curriculum's first year of implementation in selected public schools during School Year 2023–2024. It drew on teacher surveys, classroom observations, and assessments administered to about 15,000 students. The findings come as the Department of Education (DepEd) continues to implement the MATATAG Curriculum nationwide in School Year 2026–2027, providing early evidence on how the reform affected teaching and learning during its pilot phase. Introduced by DepEd to address learning losses and long-standing concerns over education quality, the MATATAG Cu...

Language mismatch between the classroom and the home can significantly reduce learning outcomes, with Filipino learners paying what researchers describe as a hidden “tax on learning,” according to studies presented during a recent Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) webinar. The webinar brought together findings from two PIDS-supported studies examining how language affects learning outcomes, literacy development, and the implementation of education policies in the Philippines. Presenting findings from the study “ Linguistic Mismatch and Learning Productivity: Evidence from Mother Tongue-based Education in the Philippines ,” PIDS senior research fellow Michael Ralph Abrigo said learners perform better when the language used in school matches the language they speak and understand at home. “The mismatch of languages is like taxes,” Abrigo said. He explained that when students and teachers do not fully understand one another, learners expend additional effort a...

Batac  Mayor Albert D. Chua along with vice mayor Windell D. Chua  and councilor Markee Chua hands over the “Resolution of Warmest Congratulations and Commendation” and a cash incentive of PHP20,000 to Mhelanie Dhave Vidad, a native of Batac, for being the  8 th  top board passer in the 2024 Philippine Nurses Licensure Exam held Jan. 17, 2024. (Photo courtesy of CMO-Batac)  

Laoag  councilor James Bryan Alcid (standing left) promises to give PHP100,000 to the 200 participating students as their token cash incentives for the recently concluded Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) held at Dagupan City during the last regular session in the presence of the junior city officials. ( Doms Dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City -City councilor James Bryan Alcid promised to give PHP100,000 as token cash incentives to all the 200 participating Laoag students in the recently conducted Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) held in Dagupan City recently. Alcid made the promise during a regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod wherein it was reported that the DepEd Laoag Division has demonstrated outstanding performance during the RSPC emerging as the overall champion in the elementary level and first runner-up in the overall result of the event, further showcasing the talent, hard work, and dedication of both the students...